Your Views: “Local” newspaper should hold Paul Ryan accountable

I just renewed my subscription, mostly because I agree with Editor Scott Angus’ argument that if we lose local papers, we lose government accountability. However, it’s becoming harder for me to accept his other oft-cited explanation that the paper’s conservative editorial slant has nothing to do with news.

Our “local” congressman, Paul Ryan, has made some staggering, derogatory comments in recent days about poverty. But I’ve had to learn about those stories concerning our “local” representative every place but the paper that touts its strength as being “local coverage.” I’m sorry that The Gazette owners support Ryan’s ideology. But if you want your claim that news and editorial divisions are indeed separate to have any credibility, then I shouldn’t have to look to other media sources to find out the remarkably insensitive comments our local Rep. Ryan has reportedly been making.

If the “local” paper won’t hold the “local” representative accountable for those comments, doesn’t it defeat your argument that local papers are necessary to hold government accountable? I’ll stay a subscriber because of the other fine work you do; but in this area, you could do better.

THOMAS J. ALISANKUS

Evansville

EDITOR'S NOTE: This letter was submitted before The Gazette's Saturday story on Ryan's statements.